


The Silence of our Friends

by prettysailormimi (poisonedcup90)



Series: Fragments of Words - Tree Spirit AU verse [1]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29042595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poisonedcup90/pseuds/prettysailormimi
Summary: “Is that what you desire?”“Most people would argue that I had a long enough existence.” Mithos thought that it was a silly question. He was not the Tethe’allan Chosen that harbored idealizations of suicide to escape his burden as Chosen. No, life simply had no meaning to him without Martel.[A canon divergent introspection into the character of Mithos Yggdrasill as he comes to terms with his new existence following his defeat. AU.]
Series: Fragments of Words - Tree Spirit AU verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2153520
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title is taken from a quote by Martin Luther King Jr: 
> 
> “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
> 
> I’m a sucker for AUs and this particular verse was one I had first cultivated during my time moonlighting as a Mithos roleplayer on Tumblr. Even commissioned a fantastic artist to do a piece based off it. And for some reason, my muse decided to revisit this verse, adding in a lot of personal headcanons that I have developed over time.

The ancient elves of Heimdall had believed that once you died, the remnants of mana left behind entered the stream of mana that flowed through the World Tree and the planet. Martel used to reassure him that one day that they would be rejoined with their parents this way.

Though, while his older sister had fond memories of their parents, Mithos had no opinion. What reason did he have to care about those that were not part of his life, even if it had not been a conscious decision on their part.

When Kratos’ foolish son put the severing cut through his Cruxis crystal, he had expected that he would cease to be.

Alas, apparently fate, or more specifically, a meddling spirit, had another idea.

He grumbled as his eyes opened to the bright and clear blue sky. More annoyingly, his senses were in overdrive, beyond the capabilities that the Cruxis crystal could even offer or what Origin’s blessing had even bestowed. It was almost as if he could feel every undercurrent of mana flowing through every living thing simultaneously - from the bed of grass that he was lying on top of to the stream of water nearby.

“Hello,  _ Mai’athoth _ .” A light and airy feminine voice greeted, diverting his attention. His gut wrenched as he spotted the spirit that was wearing his beloved’s sister face. Idly, he wondered if Martel was a part of that spirit since she had addressed him by his elvish name, as opposed to his Common one.

Their mother, a full blooded elf that was mindful of the old superstitions, had given both of her children an elvish name to accompany their Common name as per tradition, even though they were only half elves. The superstition was that names held power and thus elves went by Common names to outsiders, only disclosing their true name to those they trust.

Supposedly the people of Mizuho had continued to honor this tradition from their elven ancestors, even though their blood had become very diluted to the point where any elven blood was rather miniscule. Though, that had certainly not stopped that pesky summoner from stealing his pacts and wrecking his plans.

“You must be confused.” The spirit finally spoke again when he did not respond. Despite her face, it did not feel right to call her Martel.

“Do enlighten me,” He responded dryly, raising himself up from his bed of grassy earth so that he stood up on his own two feet. Looking down at himself, Mithos noticed that he was in his adult form and additionally his Cruxis garb was nowhere to be found. Instead, he was garbed in a simple white tunic.

The blond added, “Unless this is some sort of purgatory to punish me, I believe that death would be a mercy.”

The spirit frowned at his additional comment. He was unsure if it was because she did not appreciate his snarkiness or whether his response had saddened her.

“Is that what you desire?”

“Most people would argue that I had a long enough existence.” Mithos thought that it was a silly question. He was not the Tethe’allan Chosen that harbored idealizations of suicide to escape his burden as Chosen. No, life simply had no meaning to him without Martel.

“Besides,” He started with a false smile, “I think most that know me have come to resent me.”

Mithos the Betrayer. Oath breaker. Those were some of the titles that the various Summon Spirits had thrown at him. Maybe not so creative but appropriate. He would not deny that he was deserving of their ire.

‘Your word is our bond’, was the saying that Luna had told him when he made his first pact with the pair. It was neither blood or magic that kept it tethered.

He decided to not stick around to hear what the spirit had to say in response so he started walking from the small clearing into the grove of trees that surrounded it. However, Mithos had soon discovered that the further he had strayed away from the grove, the weaker he was becoming. Almost as if the sapling of the newly born World Tree was anchoring him.

Then the world faded to black.

\---

It was impossible to tell how much time had elapsed since Mithos had lost consciousness and when he regained it, he was being carried by a Treant and had been returned to the same clearing.

Alright then, maybe this  _ was  _ purgatory because why else would he be stuck here.

“Since the tree is still in its infant years, you will not be able to wander very far from here.” The spirit spoke, which confirmed that he was somehow bound to the tree. Maybe the ancient elves were right or someone had a twisted sense of humor.

“Perhaps if you could clarify why is it that I’m bound to the World Tree?” It was to that line that the spirit briefly broke her serene mask to give him a look of mild irritation before her features quickly switched back to normal.

“I am Mana, and I am the Giant Tree. I am a symbol of the many lives sacrificed to the Great Seed starting with Martel and ending with you.”

“Are you in the midst of an existential crisis if I have been splintered off from you?”

“No.” The spirit answered deliberately. Though, now referring to her as a separate entity was somewhat strange for him with the revelation that they were parts of a new whole. A new existence.

“When Lloyd had destroyed your Cruxis crystal, he had expressed the wish for you to be a part of this new world.” Mithos let out a snort, rolling his eyes. Really? He was in this befuddling existence because of the will of Kratos’ foolishly naive son? Now he wished that he really had killed the boy when he had the chance.

“You abided by the desire of an ignorant child that knows nothing of the harsh reality of the world?” He scoffed.

A stern look crossed the spirit’s face, “At one time, you too were a young child that strove to make a change. I think you will find that you had a lot more in common with Lloyd than you think.”

“Don’t patronize me. You’re not my sister, even if you stole her face.” Mithos rebuked her with agitation.

The conversation fizzled out after that. He ended up seeking refuge on a branch of a full grown tree nearby, refusing to exchange another word with her for the time being.

\---

The mundanity of his newfound existence was interrupted when he sensed a very familiar mana approach the sanctuary. That belonged to a person he had once called a friend.

Mithos climbed up higher into his tree so that he was completely concealed by its foliage. He doubted that Yuan could recognize his mana in his current state. No, he probably just blended in so his former friend would not find anything out of the ordinary, unless he stupidly revealed himself.

And he was not stupid. He harbored no illusions about how Yuan currently felt about him - after all, he had founded those infernal Renegades that meddled with his plans for hundreds of years.

Was he mournful of the camaraderie that they had once shared? He once had the honor of using Yuan’s true name in private. Although Mithos had thought  _ Ver’lon  _ to be an ironic choice considering he had at one point been a soldier of war. Though he supposed one could argue that soldiers were, in their own way, keepers of peace. For one side, at the very least.

And Yuan had been like a brother to him - an older male that he could look up to since he did not have a father. For as much as they had bantered and bickered with each other when he was young, Yuan was a softie at heart, even though he was too stubborn to acknowledge it. 

Like the one time for his birthday, he had bought him a piece of strawberry shortcake since he knew how much of a sweet tooth that he had. Or even just small, thoughtful things like giving him pointers on offensive spells since Martel specialized in only healing and support.

And the fault for the decay of their friendship rested solely with Mithos, though he would never dare to admit such a thing aloud. He did not believe in advertising his own weakness so blatantly. 

Maybe the reason he had been so afraid of becoming close to Genis was because he was worried that he would lose him just like he had lost Yuan. Friendships were temporal, coming and going like the waves of the ocean against the shore.

“May I be of service to you, Yuan?” Mithos overheard the spirit speak in her kind voice to Yuan.

Though when he failed to respond right away, probably awestruck by the mimicry of his sister’s image, she added, “I can alter my appearance if that is less distracting.”

“It’s alright...it’s just...been a while since I have been confronted by those thoughts again.”

Despite the fact that Mithos could not physically provide Yuan with privacy for his conversation with Mana, he tuned the words out as much as possible as he momentarily lamented the convenience the Cruxis crystal had brought him. 

It had been especially useful during meetings where all the Desian cardinals had gathered and Kvar would get onto a tirade against Pronyma. Instead of entertaining the monologue, he would turn off his hearing until he had said his piece. He was not completely sure what the cardinal’s beef was with her, though his former right hand woman had once told him that Kvar had once been her mentor.

Mithos idly wondered how things soured between them so greatly then he paused as he recalled his tarnished friendship with Yuan.

Right.

\---

When Yuan ended up lingering in the grove after his conversation with Mana, Mithos regretted not paying more attention to the two of them as he was confused that the half elf did not leave, thus leaving him stuck on his branch.

What a thrilling existence this damn spirit brought him into.

Perhaps he could lure Lloyd here and have him finish off the job properly this time.

\---

During the moment that Yuan finally decided to step outside of the sanctuary, Mithos took advantage of the opportunity to step out of his treetop hideaway and dip his legs into the stream as he laid against the grassy earth, staring up wistfully at the sky. As he allowed his mind to mull over his thoughts, tuning out the world around him, he felt small hands play with his hair.

Snapping out of his musings, he sat up and found the culprit to be a mandragora with a light purple iris sticking out of its humanoid head. Staring down at his hair, he realized that the creature had created one large braid and placed an assortment of different leaves and flowers into it.

It reminded him of how Martel used to play with his hair when he was a kid, which he had willingly indulged her antics.

He felt the spirit’s gaze on him and he decided to inquire since he currently had her attention, “Any reason why Yuan is hanging around?”

“He wishes to protect the tree and has decided to pledge himself to be its guardian.”

“Stupid,” The word instantly flew off his tongue before he had the time to filter his thoughts. It was not that he thought the tree was unworthy of protection since it would only be a matter of time before humans’ careless actions endangered it. But rather, since Yuan was free of the constraints of Cruxis or the Renegades, Mithos firmly believed that he should be living out his life the way he wanted to for once.

Or was he secretly a masochist?

“You care about your friend.” The spirit saw right through him.

Mithos growled out, “I’m not his friend. He disgraced my sister’s memory by plotting against me.”

The excuse was paper thin. The truth was that he no longer had the right to call himself that. Mana did not appear to be so convinced either.

“You don’t truly believe that...not anymore, at least.” Before Yuan’s attempted clandestine meeting at Altessa’s house, Mithos had long suspected that the other half elf’s heart was no longer into what Cruxis was striving for. Not that Kratos was enthusiastic either but Yuan was much more distant. That night had simply confirmed it.

Certainly, he had become volatile when those thoughts dawned upon him - he tore apart one of the abandoned rooms in his castle to vent out the anger. Countless former cardinals had turned disloyal against him, for either pursuit of power or suddenly growing a conscience (that one made him chuckle). Those he could easily disregard because they were just a means to an end.

But that was not what Yuan had meant to him.

He declined to dignify her response with a reply and instead asked, “I noticed that the plant based monsters seem to be drawn here. And more docile than I expected.”

The spirit did not call him out on dodging the subject and answered, “They are drawn to the mana of the World Tree. I suppose that you could say that they consider themselves to be children of the tree.”

Mithos stared down at the mandragora that had fallen asleep on top of his lap while he had started to talk to Mana.

“So long as they don’t get the notion to start calling me Father.” He snorted. It was a long time ago that Mithos had arrived at the decision that his bloodline would end with him. And no, it was not because he was worried about any heirs bearing guilt for his sins.

In the beginning, the line of thinking came from the fact that he had not honestly believed that he would survive the Kharlan war. Given how rough the situation was and how much adversity that he had faced, he had half expected himself to die during the process. Instead, it was Martel who lost her life.

And aside from his transparent lack of physical attraction towards others, Mithos knew that he could never be the parent that a child deserved. He was incapable of such selflessness, hence there was no reason to introduce more broken children into the world.


	2. Chapter 2

Definitely living up the vibe of a crotchety old man, Mithos thought to himself as he observed Kratos’ son and his friends, noting that the Tethe’allan Chosen was still amongst their numbers, pay a visit to the tree’s new self proclaimed protector. He idly wondered what happened to all that softness he had from years ago. Had cynicism worn it all away?

“What the hell would I want with that?” Yuan snapped out when Genis held  _ his  _ panpipes out to him as an offering. Oh Genis, like he wanted to be reminded of him.

“Not for you…” The young half elf shook his head, “I just thought...he’s a part of the tree, right? I have been holding onto it since he dropped it in the Tower of Salvation. I hadn’t been able to find an opportunity to return it back to him.”

The anger receded a bit from Yuan’s face and he eased up only slightly as he tsked, “Do as you please.”

Mithos watched avidly as Genis bent over and laid the panpipes to rest on a moderately sized rock not far from the sapling. He could understand the younger’s sentiment but he doubted that Yuan wanted a memorial to him hanging in front of his face and the bitter memories that would stir up for him.

Memorials were for the living, not the deceased, so that they may pay homage to their loved ones. He was undeserving of such an honor, having squandered all the bonds that once held any meaning to him.

He hoped that perhaps by doing this, Genis would forget about him and move on with his life. The younger half elf had once excitedly regaled him with the tale of how he had earned entry into Palmacosta’s prestigious private academy. He had such a bright future ahead and he did not need his shadow dampening it.

\---

Yuan seemed rather exhausted by the visitors so he had ventured out of the sanctuary not long after they had left. Probably to let out some steam somehow, though his angry outbursts had notably lessened as he had gotten older. Not that Mithos was one to judge the other man for having some rage issues.

He jumped down from the tree branch and stared down at the panpipes. The mandragora that had previously played with his hair looked up at him as he reached to grab the old instrument.

This particular creature was just as inquisitive and curious like a small child.

“Would you like to hear a song, Iris?” Mithos said thoughtlessly to the mandragora as he gave it a nickname as he mused whether he could still play a proper tune. The humanoid face smiled up at him and then he was startled by tiny arms suddenly clinging onto his leg.

“Whoa...you don’t need to get  _ that  _ excited.” Was a plant creature even familiar with the concept of music?

Mana’s voice cut in, “I shouldn’t have to remind you that names hold power.”

He rolled his eyes, of course that old elven garbage that he had heard over and over again as a child. He thought that the elves were full of it. That, or they got high off their supply of mana leaf herbs.

“And not once in my life had I experienced anything that gave that any credence.” Granted, outside of his blood family, only Yuan and Kratos had been aware of his elven name.

She gave him an amused smile, “By bestowing a name on the mandragora, you have made it your subordinate.”

“What,” Mithos deadpanned, “Hold on, Ratatosk is the lord of monsters, all of them answer to him.”

Oh damn. He just created yet another reason for Ratatosk to be super pissed at him. It was a good thing that he was currently in a deep slumber at the Ginnungagap. No doubt if he was awake and free that he would hunt him down and try to kill him. 

Which made it even more foolhardy that Mana had placed him into this predicament. There was no shortage of those that would want to kill him if they were aware of his current existence. He could quickly name a handful in one second.

“True, Ratatosk holds dominion over monsters as they were his creation. But they are not exclusively his.”

Fantastic, now he had a mandragora for a daughter, just what he always wanted. He groaned when he saw with how much glee Iris looked at him, he was not cut out for this. 

He never had to care after another living being, not even a pet. Back in the village, he had always wanted a dog because they were smart and loyal companions. The closest he got was bonding with Noishe, who occasionally allowed him to ride on his back while Kratos shook his head in exasperation.

\---

“What happened to the panpipes?” Yuan asked Mana later when he noticed that it had gone missing from its perch.

The spirit gave him a knowing smile and answered evasively, “Perhaps it caught an eye of a forest nymph.”

“A nymph?” He snorted, “Aren’t those just myths?”

“There are many creatures that exist in the woods. I don’t think it is off to think that there may be many that we are unaware of.” For a tree spirit that was tethered to the very mana that circulated across all of Aselia, there was no way anything was hidden from her sight. 

Why she was keeping Mithos’ secret, he had no idea. Maybe she had the hope that he would find the courage to reveal himself and offer some words of apology. But it was not that simple.

Some things were easier to ignore completely than to confront head on.

\---

He should have figured that it was only a matter of time that either he would slip up or Yuan would stumble upon his presence at the World Tree sanctuary. Mithos had not mentally prepared himself for this moment despite being aware that it was a possibility.

“Yuan!” Mana gave a horrified shout when he had grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground. The action was effortless since Mithos saw no reason to fight back, letting his body hang limply..

Then his former friend let out an angry hiss, glaring at the tree spirit with a betrayed look in his eyes, “You knew this whole damn time!? You were providing sanctuary to him!? After what he has done!?”

Mithos thought that his anger was understandable and righteous, though he remained silent. There was no answer that he could supply that would soothe the other man.

“Mithos is not…” The tree spirit fumbled to find words. Though, he did wonder what would happen if he was killed off as a pseudo spirit. Would his mana then forcibly be returned to Mana? Or would he fade completely?

“The half elf that you had known as Mithos Yggdrasill no longer exists.” She finally expressed. Yuan stared at her as if she had spawned a second head, though he did tilt his head as an indication that he was listening..

“Perhaps an explanation would be so helpful since you seem rather lacking in providing them.” Mithos said sarcastically despite Yuan’s tight grip.

“Mithos and I are one in the same. We together are the spirit of this new tree.” As if her words had physically burned him, Yuan suddenly dropped him. Before his body could collapse onto the grassy earth, a pair of roots appeared to cushion his landing. The bruises around his neck instantly faded, probably healed by the sheer amount of mana that flowed through them.

“Why would there be twin spirits born?” Twin spirits were a rarity. Aska and Luna were one of the few. However, Mithos would not consider himself to be a twin since Mana had made the conscious decision to split him off from the rest of her.

“Because she allowed herself to be swayed by the foolish sentimentality of Kratos’ son.” Mithos ridiculed her, “I definitely did not ask for this.”

“Yet your soul harbored such regret.” She said sharply, contradicting him.

His eyes narrowed, not liking her trying to get inside of his head, “I regret  _ nothing _ .”

“Of course not,” Yuan snarled at him, “Nothing else mattered so long as you were reunited with Martel.”

Mithos intentionally goaded his anger further, “Indeed, what do I care about inferior beings? Their spilt blood means nothing to me.”

He could almost applaud himself at how he knew how to craft words that cut right at the spot that he wanted.

“You’re incorrigible.” Yuan’s nose flared out, exhaling heavily. No doubt that he would like to return the favor for the beating that he gave him at Altessa’s house but knew better than to potentially jeopardize the World Tree.

It took Mithos by no surprise when Yuan walked off, probably wanting to look at anything but his face. Maybe he would be angry enough that he would give up this notion of being the tree’s protector and find something else to do with his life.

“I would be surprised if he returns.” The blond crossed his arms as he rested his back against one of the trees as Mana sat down on the grass, picking a few flowers.

“You need to stop saying words that you don’t fully mean.” She lightly reprimanded him.

“And you’re getting on my nerves. Just because you have so  _ kindly  _ granted me this existence, that doesn’t mean that I’ve suddenly turned over a new leaf.” Okay, he might be a sucker for such cheesy puns.

Mana rose up, holding the picked flowers in her arms, “Do you believe yourself to be irredeemable?”

Mithos let out a hollow laugh, “Is that a joke?”

Seriously, he did not know if perhaps that there were too many souls that made up Mana that her head was not screwed straight to be spouting off ridiculous notions like that. Even his own freaking sister had condemned him when she had spoken through the Sylvarant Chosen. He highly doubted that her opinion would have changed since that even if she was a dominant part of the spirit.

He was briefly distracted as Iris reached her hands out to him, indicating that she wanted to be held. He pulled her up and sat her on his hip as his one arm held her in place. Apparently she needed some comfort, having been unsettled by Yuan’s outburst.

“There are some things in this world that can never be forgiven.” Like the death of his sister. Or his own crimes against humanity.

Besides, redemption entailed that the person held remorse for the wrongs that they had committed, which he did not possess.

It was a good thing that Mithos was not a gambler because Yuan did return, his demeanor much calmer although he still looked at him with thinly veiled hatred.

\---

Mithos supposed that the one good thing about Yuan now being aware of his presence was that he did not have to go to such great lengths to hide himself, though he had grown fond of the little branch that he had claimed for himself. However, he did try to keep some distance from the other man to avoid purposely riling him up.

Not like either one of them were going anywhere in the near future.

He gave Iris an amused look when she had grabbed the panpipes off his tunic and attempted to play it for herself. The mandragora did not have quite the right precision and blowed air that produced no sound.

“What the…!?” Yuan uttered, Iris having taken him by surprise since he had been unaware of her presence.

“Iris is such an outgoing little thing.” Mana beamed with pride.

“Or her wires are more crossed than yours in the head.” Mithos retorted. He had no idea why this mandragora had taken such a shine to him. Of course she was completely oblivious to his history.

“Does the tree not consider such creatures to be intruders?” The grove was surrounded by a thick magical barrier, taking the form of dense fog, that prevented unwanted visitors from getting near. A necessary precaution.

“No, the plant creatures have a particular affinity towards the World Tree.”

“I’m guessing you’re referring to elemental affinities.” Mithos responded.

“Indeed.” Mana inclined her head in affirmation.

Martel and himself had shared the same elemental affinity for Light. That was the reason why Mithos had decided to seek out Aska and Luna for his first pact and saved Shadow for the very end given that the two elements were diametrically opposed to each other.

Mithos mused as he closed his eyes, “I don’t remember the layout of the world well from before they were split but I can feel that the Temple of Earth is not too far away.”

It had been a very long time since Aselia was whole and cartography had not been too impressive back then. The temples dedicated to the individual summon spirits were dense with mana of their particular element so he could feel the well of Earth based mana centralized in a singular point.

And additionally, to his displeasure, he could also sense that the village of the elves was not far off either.

Mithos could hear Yuan mumble out in a low tone just barely audible, “ _ And whose fault is that? _ ”

Well, it was the truth so there was no denying that. He just gave a casual shrug. 

Yuan would have to try a lot harder if he wanted to rile him up. Mithos knew that he was not always good at reading at other people (to be able to tell what made them tick), especially since his distrust of others often jaded his own perspective.

He could still remember like it was yesterday the disdain Yuan had held Kratos with when they had first met the Tethe’allan knight. Not just because Kratos was from the opposite side of the battlefield that Yuan had been fighting on but that he had grown up in the lap of luxury and privilege. 

Obviously his opinion of Kratos had changed over time. Though he probably still did not enjoy the thought of being the godfather to Kratos’ son.

\---

Mana had explained that while the tree was still just a sapling that Mithos might be able to traverse outside the sanctuary because of his bond with Iris. Without access to his former, extensive library on Derris Kharlan or Yuan trying his damndest to ignore his existence and not engaging him in conversation, Mithos had quickly grown bored.

If there was one thing he had realized from tagging along with Lloyd’s group back then was that he had kept himself holed up on Derris Kharlan for far too long.

Though he had some sense to throw a cloak over his form, a hood pulled up to cover his face, lest he crossed paths with someone that would recognize him. Iris strolled beside and he could feel how she kept him anchored, especially once they passed the limit of where he could go on his own without their bond. Mana had jokingly said that having more subordinates would probably allow him to travel even further.

Iris was an accident that he had no intention of repeating.

The locations that were closest to the sanctuary were Sybak and the remains of Ozette. Mithos was not sure if he was ready to be surrounded by so many other people yet so he traversed to Ozette, trying to keep his eyes averted from the direction of Altessa’s house on the way.

It seems nothing had changed in the village since he had it destroyed, which was a bit surprising since he knew that humans could be stubbornly persistent at times.

“So, it’s you. I was wondering who was poking around here.” Came a familiar voice with a thick dwarven accent, apparently aware of his identity despite the cloak and hood.

“ _ Fuck _ .” Mithos swore in ancient Elvish, turning around to look at Altessa, though he stubbornly left the hood up. Maybe he should have taken his chances at Sybak instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And no, things are definitely not resolved between Yuan and Mithos. Yuan is rightfully very angry with him but he also recognizes that he also needs to think of the repercussions on the World Tree if he takes it out on Mithos (as tempting as it is).
> 
> As for more headcanons - ancient Elvish was Mithos' first language (and Yuan was fluent in it as well) and he falls in the habit of unconsciously slipping back into it at times. The elven language had evolved over time since the Kharlan era (ancient Elvish had died out shortly after) to what was known as Middle Elvish and then finally the modern day Elvish language.


	3. Chapter 3

“Come on,” The dwarf beckoned him to follow after him, leading back to his house.

“Are you sure? I doubt that I’m a welcome guest anymore considering the last time you saw me you ended up getting injured.” Mithos drawled out as he stared at the open doorway. 

“I haven’t forgotten and I have half a mind to give you a piece of mind but...Yuan told me.” So, that explains where Yuan had gone when he had found out about his newfound existence. Reluctantly, he stepped inside the house, feeling a weird sense of nostalgia wash over him. 

He remembered playing with Genis’ kendama. Helping Tabatha cook in the kitchen. Watching as Raine continued to give lessons to her students.

“Have a seat,” Altessa gestured to the table where they had spent many meals together as he stepped into the kitchen momentarily before coming out with a teapot and two mugs. Settling into the handcrafted wooden chair, Mithos finally pushed back the hood of his cloak and helped Iris onto his lap as she struggled to climb up on her own.

“Well, I don’t know if spirits are capable of drinking tea...but then again, you ate quite a bit for a lad that was supposedly an angel that did not require sustenance.” The dwarf started with a dose of dry humor as he poured out the hot liquid into the mugs.

“Indeed, it was true that I did not require it but it was a luxury that I did not mind indulging. I haven’t had the opportunity to try consuming something in my current state.” Though Mithos had a hunch that whatever substance he consumed would break down and its mana would be absorbed into him.

“Mmm...that reminds me, Gnome always had a fondness for spicy curry.” He recalled when he had gone to the Temple of Earth to seek out a pact with the Summon Spirit. He had been subsequently taken off guard when Gnome had insisted on him presenting the spiciest curry he could make before permitting him to fight him. 

One of the most peculiar requests that he had ever gotten, especially for a summon spirit. The blond took the offered mug and held it in his hands, feeling the warmth, while Altessa took a seat at the other end of the table.

“You’re rather calm for someone that should hate my guts.” Mithos said candidly as he took a sip.

“I do have some trouble reconciling the sweet boy that I knew as Mithos with the Cruxis lord that I had feared. But I’m not in a place to cast judgment - I have done many things that I am not proud of and deeply regret.” Regret, that word again. Though no matter how many times he heard it, he did not reconsider his stance on humans even once. They were flawed beyond redemption.

“Do you seriously consider yourself to be the same as me? You’re being incredibly unfair to yourself.” The dwarf’s eyes widened as if he was taken by surprise from his words.

“And Ozette’s destruction had nothing to do with you.” Mithos added as he recalled that during their first meeting with the dwarf that he had blamed himself for the village’s destruction. It was misplaced guilt really, Ozette would have burned regardless of him getting sucked into Rodyle’s scheme or not.

“You’re a strange one.” Altessa finally spoke, as if he was not fully sure what to make of him.

“Mmm, perhaps…’ Mithos’ lips curled up into a slight smile of amusement.

The hour had grown late before he knew it, having been engaged into his conversation with the dwarf. Darkness crept in through the windows, casting shadows along the walls. A few candles and lamps kept the room illuminated.

He supposed that he should make his way back before Yuan got suspicious of him causing trouble or something else along those lines. Though not before he helped to clean up after their few rounds of tea.

“You don’t have to…” Altessa started to protest as Mithos pulled up the sleeves of his tunic and washed the mugs and the kettle they had used.

“I don’t want to be an ungrateful guest this time around.” He said softly. Perhaps he felt a slight bit of guilt for the blow that the dwarf had taken which had been meant for Presea.

Quickly finished with his task, he wiped his hands off on a towel and hesitantly admitted, “I enjoyed this.”

It was...nice to engage in a friendly bout of conversation for a change of pace. Despite how well meaning Mana was, Mithos found her irritating and no it was not just because she wore his sister’s face (though that certainly did not help). And Yuan would prefer to run his Swallow through him than say any words to him, which was understandable.

He would be lying if he said that was not a bit lonely.

“Well, my door is always open. Are you going to be okay getting back with being...you know.” Altessa gestured at him, indicating some concern because he was a spirit, one tethered to the World Tree. No doubt that he would be a tasty prey for some unsavory creatures - the mana would be a huge boon if consumed.

“I think I can manage...besides, it’s not like the denizens of the woods don’t keep a watchful eye out.” Like that Treant that had carried him back into the sanctuary when he had collapsed from pushing himself too far outside of its protection.

“C’mon, Iris.” Mithos beckoned the mandragora to take his hand.

\---

“Where the fuck have you been?” Yuan snarled out when he had returned. Ah, of course, paranoid bastard that he was meant he was suspicious of him being gone for so many hours.

“I was obviously busy scheming how I can resume my reign of terror and make every human suffer.” Mithos responded sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Perhaps it was not the right thing to say but it is not like the other man would listen to him anyways.

“How was Altessa?” Mana interjected lightly. Mithos held little doubt that she could sense his presence and had known where he had gone - he, too, could feel the pulse of her mana even after he left the sanctuary. Though it made sense since their fate was connected to each other.

“You didn’t hurt him, did you?” Yuan said accusingly.

“If you are so concerned, why don’t you ask him yourself? Though, he is only mortal and could be asleep already for the night.” He strode past his former friend and made a bed for himself on top of the grass.

\---

Of course it would be the moment that Yuan stepped out that there would be a visitor. He kept himself sprawled out on his tree branch when he detected that the mana was Lloyd’s. He rolled around on his side to face away, not wanting to look at him.

“Sorry, Yuan stepped out for the moment.” Mana politely informed the boy.

Apparently he had not come alone because shortly after the other tree spirit’s greeting, Mithos heard Noishe barking at him from the base of the tree. That damn protozoan.

He was still fond of Noishe, reflecting on the time that they had spent together, but he wanted nothing to do with Kratos’ son. He could take his damned offer and shove it up-

“Noishe, what are you doing?” Lloyd gave out a sigh, confused by what had caught his attention. Granted, Mithos was pretty high up on the tree that he would have to look directly up to spot him.

Noishe let out a whine and Mithos let out a low groan. Lloyd was the last person on the planet that he wanted to be aware of his presence. The boy would probably bug him relentlessly to show him how things have changed for the better. As if.

“What is it?” Thankfully Yuan had returned, carrying a small tote, and diverted the attention away from him.

“Are you doing okay?” Lloyd asked and Mithos could sense the frown on his face from his voice alone.

“Why does it matter?” He grumbled. Yuan was never the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, even opening up about his feelings for Martel had taken a lot of coaxing.

“I know that you were pretty close to Botta...and Mithos is gone...Dad told me that the two of you used to be pretty close.” Geez, did this boy have no tact? He might as well go rubbing salt into the open wound.

“Get out.” Yuan growled out, obviously not wanting to be confronted by the past. He was inclined to agree, some things were better off left buried.

“Yuan-” Kratos’ son started to protest.

“I won’t ask again.” He said sharply, cutting off any further objections. Noishe gave one last whine directed up at him before he followed Lloyd out of the sanctuary.

“Yuan…” Mana started softly once the visitors were well past the other side of the fog, causing Mithos to interject. He sat up and turned around to stare down from his perch.

“Leave him be.” For a moment the blond thought that he must have been hallucinating because he could have swore that he saw Yuan gave a grateful look in his direction before settling down under another tree.

\---

“You’ve started a vegetable garden.” Mithos commented to Altessa as he kneeled down to look at the freshly tilled patch of soil.

“It’s the dwarven way to find enjoyment in using your hands. I don’t have much company without Tabatha around so I figured to engage in some hobbies to occupy my mind.” The doll had ended up absorbed into Mana when the Great Seed had been germinated.

“We used to have a large and bountiful garden at my parent’s house.” He reminscienced on the time that he lived in Heimdall before they were kicked out. His mother had loved growing all sorts of different flowers, Martel had told him as she pointed out all the flowers in the garden that were planted by her.

“Iris.” Mithos chided when he saw the mandragora use her magic to hasten the growth of a melon and held the full sized plant in her hands, to Altessa’s bafflement.

“Umm, that’s not normal.” The dwarf stared down at the melon that had been previously just a seed buried in the soil.

“Since she is my subordinate, she has access to a fraction of my spirit powers...Hastening the growth of such a small crop like this is child’s play.” Mithos bent and plucked the melon from Iris’ hands to present it to Altessa, since it rightfully belonged to him.

“Huh...well then, I suppose we can have this as a treat.” Altessa walked back inside of his house to take the melon into his kitchen to slice the fruit in half and scope out the seeds before handing one half over to Mithos along with a spoon.

They sat outside as they consumed their pieces of melon.

“I’m surprised that you decided to remain on the surface rather than rejoin your kind deep underground.” Mithos mused. As far as he was aware, Dirk made his living by selling his services to humans, hence the reason for him living on the surface.

“Well, most of the clan wasn’t too keen on what Cruxis was doing so I ended up as a bit of a pariah along with the rest of my kind that ended up recruited.”

He stared down at his bent knees and wrapped his arms around them. He knew all too well the pain of being shunned from the only place that he had known as home. They had been run out of the village without even a chance to grab any personal mementos or keepsakes of their parents.

As if sensing his guilt, Altessa said, “I made my bed and chose to lie in it. You have to remember that people are responsible for their own choices as well.”

\---

Mithos let out a sigh as a pair of bandits stood in his way as he attempted to return to the World Tree sanctuary. Though he would not even give them a piece of gald, even if he had any on him. Any wealth that he had amassed was stuck on Derris Kharlan and out of reach.

Though he cared not about the loss of his wealth, he lamented more the loss of access to his extensive library. Precious tomes and articles that he had collected over time, stretching all the way back to the Kharlan era. They were written in an assortment of different languages - the oldest ones in ancient Elvish and the more recent in Common and middle Elvish.

“A pretty lady like you shouldn’t be travelling alone.” The one gave him an appraising look. His sister had always teased that he looked girlish with his long hair since he had such a lean, elven figure. He did not have the slightly muscular build that Yuan had.

Before either one could lay a hand on him, tree roots sprung out from the ground and coil around them.

“What the fuck!?” The other cursed as the roots lifted them off the ground.

“You humans...always so foolish.” Mithos spoke condescendingly. They were not even worth the effort so he strode past them, letting the roots relinquish their hold once he had safely made it through into the barrier. He would let them go this time, though if they persisted in being an issue then he might have to take matters into his own hands.

Once he had reached the inner sanctum, the blond pulled up the ends of his pants so that it was bunched around his knees and dipped his legs into the stream. At least this time, Yuan did not interrogate him about where he had been.

Mithos ruminated on the thoughts that Martel had spoken to him through the Sylvarant Chosen.

_ If things were going to end up like this, perhaps the elves should never have left Derris-Kharlan. If they hadn’t, people like us would never have been born… _

He wondered how different the world would be if Mithos Yggdrasill had never existed.

“You’re heading out again already?” Mana questioned as he rose up from the stream, letting the ends of his pants fall back down, and strolled out.

He did not dare looking back at the other spirit, afraid of whatever emotion was being cast across his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aside from some key plot points and certain character interactions, I have no idea where this story is going, lol. This was originally just going to be a oneshot but then I decided there was more that I wanted to add into the verse. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> My drunk butt also had entertained briefly incorporating an OC that would be a bastard kid of Yuan's from a one night stand and having her interact with Mithos. Then I just wrote it off on me having too much DMC5 on the brain lately from my more self indulgent writings.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna say this is not a happy fic, alright? Some of the darker undercurrents rear its ugly head in this chapter, particularly regarding themes of suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide.

_ Mithos could not even feel the cold snow underneath his boots as he trudged through to a discrete alley to meet with the Tethe’allan Chosen. He had put a hood over his head to hide his identity since Lloyd’s group were now aware of his true identity after the confrontation in front of the dwarf’s house. _

_ “Chosen,” The blond greeted as he saw the human slip into the alley. He wrinkled his nose at him in disgust out of pure instinct. Mithos harbored no illusions that Zelos actually liked him - no, he resented him as the one responsible for being in this predicament to begin with. _

_ As much as it pained him to mentally admit it, he could see a bit of himself in the Chosen - resenting the very burden that he was born into. Perhaps in another world, they could have been friends. But alas, there was little sense in lingering on such thoughts of what could have been. Mere speculation would not alter the course of reality. _

_ “You have some nerve calling me out after that stunt you pulled at Altessa’s.” The red head sneered at him as he pushed back the hood, revealing himself. _

_ “My stunt?” He let out a snort, “I’m not the one who slipped a sleeping potion into the meal.” _

_ “Not gonna cleave me in half for helping the Renegades? You gave your old pal quite the beating.” He had a reputation for how he dealt with traitors so no doubt that the Chosen had expected the same to be done to him. Some of his former Cardinals had been forcibly terminated by his own hands. _

_ “Did you think that I was unaware that you were playing both sides? Regardless, you still have some use.” Mithos ignored the comment about Yuan. That was a much more complicated matter and frankly it was none of the Chosen’s concern. _

_ As he looked up at the grey, cloudy sky, he commented, “Your friends seem to think rather highly of you. Perhaps you should learn to treasure those relationships of people who truly care about you.” _

_ “Are you here for an update or are you just here to wax philosophy?” Zelos let out a small growl, crossing his arms in agitation. Touchy, touchy. Though perhaps he should not have mentioned Yuan if he did not want to address the matter of his own friends. _

_ Mithos gave him a mirthful expression, “I certainly won’t complain if anything terrible befalls you. Though you should stop and consider that just because you don’t put any value in your own life doesn’t mean others do either.” _

_ “Did you lose a few marbles back there? This is the weirdest pep talk that I have ever gotten, especially coming from the likes of you.” _

_ It was not too late for the Chosen just yet. If he went through with his betrayal, there will be no salvaging his friendships with Lloyd and the others. _

_ “Are you prepared? I will honor my word if you uphold your end of the bargain but I wonder...will it really be worth it in the end for you?” Mithos mused, which just stupefied the other man even more. _

_ “Can big, bad angels get sick? Because do you even hear what is coming out of your mouth right now? I know that you don’t care about me. I’m lower than dirt on the bottom of your boot.” _

_ “Indeed, I care not for your fate.” _

\---

He had deliberately left Iris behind. The little mandragora tried her best to chase after him but he was too fast.

He had no clear destination in mind other than to get as far away from the sanctuary as possible and let fate run its course. Somehow, he managed to find the strength to push forward even as his vision started to give out on him until he was embraced by pure nothingness.

At last.

\---

Mithos let out a groan of disappointment as he regained consciousness. Why...why must he keep being dragged into this cruel existence?

“Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you? You pull something like this after that weird talk you gave me the last time that I saw you?” He heard Zelos whine at him as he sat up, back inside the sanctuary once more. Iris beside him, clinging onto him. Not far behind the former Chosen stood Yuan, arms crossed and visibly angry.

“Why, Chosen, I didn’t think that you cared.” He drawled out sarcastically. Of course, he knew that the title was no longer correct since Lloyd’s group made sure to abolish the Chosen system as soon as the worlds were reunited. Though, he had been slightly amused that they had not divulged the truth about Cruxis and the Church of Martel.

He idly wondered how many foolish humans still prayed to his sister for salvation.

“I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you then this weird ass plant monster appeared and made all these gestures telling me to carry you back. Yuan clued me in once I got you in here.” Mithos hid his face behind his hands, not wanting to imagine the sight of the human carrying his body, nevermind the fact that the Chosen had willingly done so. Well, willingly was perhaps a stretch of words.

“What a pity.” His attempt to seek an out from being stuck in this unfortunate situation had been thwarted. By the former Tethel’allan Chosen. The irony was not lost on him.

“You’re a fucking hypocrite. Who the hell were you to tell me about cherishing my friendships. You basically insinuated to me that I should not be throwing my life away at the same time that you were having me do your bidding. So what the hell was that all about, huh?” He had never seen Zelos rant so angrily before. Sure, he was always pissy around him but he was typically mindful of what he said, knowing not to push his buttons too much.

“What?” Yuan did a double take, perhaps taken aback about the advice that he had given the Chosen. Perhaps thought that it was so out of character for him.

Mithos rose up onto his feet, “Do you need me to spell it all out? You may play the role of the fool but you and I both know that you’re not that stupid so don’t insult me by pretending.”

He had presented the facade of a happy go lucky playboy with the brains of a snail but Mithos had recognized that it had all been an act. Hell, even the women that he slept with meant nothing to him. The others might not have thought too much when Zelos had helped Genis out on his mathematical problems but he had known that he had been massively downplaying his intellect.

“You’re rather full of it, you know? You gave such a stirring speech yet you ended up having Lloyd off you. Then you just tried to off yourself.”

“This may escape your comprehension but I no longer possess any such attachments to make my existence meaningful.” He tried his hardest to sound as a cold as possible, not wanting his self loathing to slip through the cracks. Lest in front of the last two people he would ever want to be vulnerable in front of..

It seemed to have suddenly dawn on Yuan what he had attempted to do, though Zelos spoke before he could say anything.

“You’re rather pitiful.”

He bared his teeth, “Perhaps you should take a look in the mirror.”

Zelos let out a mocking laugh, “Am I? Seems like I’m the one that actually took your words to heart since I’m still standing here in mortal flesh.”

“You’re treading on thin ice for my patience, Chosen. Even now, I would have no reservations about offering your blood as a sacrifice to the tree.” Truly, there was nothing to stop him from murdering others as a spirit, just his own self restraint.

“You could finally re-join your dear mother.” He knew the full intent of the cruelty behind his words, aware of the circumstances surrounding Zelos’ childhood. After all, it would not be due if he had the potential vessels or carriers of the bloodline dying out before they served their uses so he had them closely monitored.

It was a low blow and there was no mistaking the fury on the redhead’s face.

“Mithos, that is enough.” Yuan’s interjected, eyebrows creased and eyes narrowed.

“You’re an asshole. It’s no wonder why all your friends abandoned you.” Were Zelos’ final words before he took his leave. Just as he had known how to let his words to cut at the Chosen deeply, the redhead knew how to return the favor.

\---

He was sprawled out on the ground, back leaning against the trunk of his tree, idly twirling a finger around a strand of hair in boredom. Following the incident with Zelos, Yuan had stepped out and had sternly told him to not go anywhere at the moment. Not that his former friend could hold him here.

“Do you resent me for choosing to put you into this existence?” Mana asked, finally appeared after hiding away during the earlier confrontation.

“I had accepted death a long time ago.” Back during the Kharlan war and when Lloyd had turned the tide against him.

She reluctantly concedes, “Your wish can be granted...if you were to disappear, your soul will just return into me and join the sea of souls that I house. No harm would befall the tree itself. Though, I would urge you to consider not pursuing that option unless you can firmly say that you have absolutely no lingering regrets.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mithos sneered in a defensive manner.

“Your soul was laid bare before me until I separated you.” His body tingled unpleasantly at the knowledge that she had seen all of him, even the parts that he had kept hidden. That which was never meant to be shared.

\---

“I’m hearing word of some unusual monster activity.” Yuan expressed his concerns to Mana, who frowned.

“Ratatosk.” Mithos said simply, raising up onto his feet as he instantly connected the dots. There could be no other explanation, all the monsters answered to him above anyone else.

“But...shouldn’t he be asleep at the Ginnungagap?”

“Nothing is ever eternal. I’m sure he will be in quite a frenzy with his precious tree no longer around.” Not only that, their bond had been severed when he had started his crusade against humanity. He was rather resentful of that. Origin was a prime example that spirits could hold long term grudges.

Perhaps he could leverage that hatred so he could…

“Don’t even think about it.” Yuan’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“I don’t have any idea as to what you’re suggesting. I’m not that stupid to suggest we kill Ratatosk lest we be forced to contend with a full onslaught of the denizens from Niflheim.” He said innocently, trying to cover for his darker thoughts. 

Though, that was a real problem. If they dealt with Ratatosk by giving him a violent end, the Ginnungagap would be left defenseless since it was his life force that sustained it. And undoubtedly one of the first things the demons would rush towards would be the tree. Certainly, he still hated humans and those pompous elves that lived in Heimdall but his half elven brethren did not deserve such a fate.

“I’m not stupid,” The other half elf crossed his arms, “You have the same look in the eyes as Zelos did back then.”

Mithos let out a hiss at being compared to the Tethe’allan Chosen.

“You’re not escaping your responsibility that easily.” He added firmly, implying that there was no room for arguments.

“And since when have I ever answered to you? I’m not one of your little Runaways.” Oh, he knew full well what their real name was but he used that term to further mock him. He knew, however, that his sarcasm was not winning him any points with Yuan.

“You’re deflecting.” His former friend called him out.

“This fighting is unnecessary.” Mana interjected. For a moment, her tone reminded him of the rare occasion of when Martel had reprimanded him over something stupid he had done. 

He might have at one time switched out Yuan’s shampoo so that his hair was temporarily turned pink. Mithos found it hilarious, though the other had not been amused by his childish antics. Later that day Martel had lectured him about how it was not nice to play pranks on other people. Well, at the time, he thought that he could stand to lighten up a little since he was always so serious. 

Then Yuan had gotten his payback by shoving him into a river unexpectedly, causing all of his clothes to be soaked. It was not a problem since he could swim, though his sister was not amused by that either. It was after then that he started becoming close to the older half elf.

Was close, he corrected.

“Mithos…?” He heard Mana’s voice calling out his name, not realizing that he had just completely zoned out.

“What? Done with the lecture already,  _ Mommy _ ?” Mithos snorted out.

“Must you always be so juvenile?” Yuan scolded him.

“Gonna play the role of my daddy now, Yunnie?” The old nickname he had for Yuan slipped out unconsciously. He regretted it as soon as he realized he had uttered it aloud, his mocking smile morphing into a frown. It had been a long time since he had called him by that name.

Probably not since Martel had died.

\---

_ They often found themselves having to make camp outdoors since most inns refused to offer rooms to half elves. Martel had done a lot of the cooking but occasionally Yuan had taken the reins. _

_ “Oh, so you can cook too, Yunnie?” Mithos said, staring down at the stew he was stirring in the pot on top of the campfire. It looked surprisingly good and he did not think cooking was a skill that instilled into the Sylvarant soldiers. _

_ “What the hell is with that nickname? You know what my proper name is.” He let out a low grumble. _

_ “But anyone can call you that. It’s hardly special.” The blond gave him a shit eating grin. _

_ “Brat.” The other man answered with an undercurrent of affection. _

_ “I think it is a lovely nickname,” Martel chimed in. _

_ “Don’t encourage him.” Yuan grunted, the hint of a blush on his face. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had already rambled about this on my one tumblr blog but the flashback interaction between Mithos and Zelos was actually inspired by one of my verses with my Symphonia OC, who worked for the Renegades. She had uttered something similar before she went off on her final mission (which she knew that she wouldn't survive). 
> 
> And shoutout to Tardy for basically being my personal cheerleader on this fic, LOL.


End file.
